Dimapur, June 29 (EMN): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has lashed out at the ‘unprecedented action’ of the chief minister and NPF president, Dr. Shurhozelie Liezietsu, in appointing his son Khriehu Liezietsu as Advisor with cabinet status and retaining the earlier portfolio of Music Task Force, which he held as Parliamentary Secretary saying the ‘unmandated’ father son duo has taken nepotism in the State to greater heights.
While stating that NPCC has no issues in father son duo running the affairs of the NPF party as their personal fiefdom, yet it said the affairs of the government cannot be allowed to be turned, twisted and manipulated to suit the interest of father-son combine. As far as the upcoming Presidential poll in the nation is concerned, it said the NPF resorting to attack on NPCC president, K Therie, through print media held no substance. Moreover, it said the NPF claiming BJP-RSS as natural allies was worth pondering by all right thinking people of Nagaland.
“NPF may feel that NPCC has no moral right to question their support for BJP-RSS presidential candidate, but then the divisive threat of BJP-RSS is not confined to Congress alone as political opponents but to the Naga’s as whole,” NPCC Media Cell said in a statement today.
Recalling the history of NPF, it said the regional party was in complete tatters when even Dr. Shurhozelie abandoned the ‘broken regional ship’ to contest as Independent candidate for 1999 Lok Sabha elections. It was only due to the efforts of some breakaway Congress leaders in 2002, who resurrected the dead symbol of Cock in the form of NPF, it claimed.
It, therefore, said the projection of Dr. Shurhozelie as ‘clean man’ without any baggage by his cronies was an insult to the people of Nagaland. It rather alleged that as president of the NPF, the mis-governance had taken place under his patronage for nearly 15 years.
It went on to cast aspersion that as Urban Development minister for two terms, he was responsible for the ULB mess that culminated into a full blown agitation in the beginning of this year.
‘Revoking some decisions taken by the earlier NPF chief ministers like the Rongmei recognition does not absolve his participation as cabinet minister in 2012 to eagerly grant recognition without considering the ramifications,’ it added.
NPCC reminded Dr. Shurhozelie that becoming chief minister by default does not give him the liberty to run the government like his personal fiefdom. It said the NPF of today is in ruling position due to the efforts of other leaders like Neiphiu Rio, who now stands suspended from the party. It added that NPF under Dr. Shurhozelie or for that matter TR Zeliang was yet to face an acid test of achieving victory in electoral battle under their leadership, saying their achievements will only be known after 2018 assembly elections.
It advised that NPF would do well to tone down its ‘arrogance and tunnel vision of political discourse’ since the present lots who are occupying seats of power in different capacities are yet to prove their mettle.